Hurricanes go on scoring barrage to take commanding lead over Devils

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice in a roughly 2 1/2-minute span during Carolina's four-goal second period, Frederik Andersen stopped 28 shots and the Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Jordan Staal and Martin Necas also scored in that blow-it-open second, which turned a scoreless game between the top two regular-season teams still alive in the playoffs into a romping Hurricanes win with the backing of another rowdy home crowd.

It also marked the second straight game the Hurricanes chased Devils netminder Akira Schmid. He lasted only a few minutes into the second period of the 5-1 loss in Game 1, then took a seat after the second with his team down 4-0.

Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen added clinching goals in the third period to cap another dominant night for Carolina.

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi #82 of the Carolina Hurricanes reacts after scoring his second goal of the second period against the New Jersey Devils in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 05, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina.  (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Miles Wood scored for the Devils early in the third, but Andersen was strong in his third straight postseason start for Carolina going back to the Round 1 win against the New York Islanders.

The Devils return home to host Game 3 on Sunday, facing an 0-2 hole for the second straight best-of-seven series. They lost the first two games at home by 5-1 scores in the first round against the New York Rangers before rallying to advance with Monday's Game 7